Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-04-22
INTERSTATE.
San Francisco Merchants
Waking Up.
THE CALLS TIMELY EDITORIAL.

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The East Shows its ClOven Foo
and Opposes q Suspension of
the Law.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALl
SAN Francisco, April 2l.-The fourtl
section of the Interstate Commerce bill
that which refers to long and shor
hauls, SO far as it is likely to affect the
Pacific coast industries, is beginning te
attract the attention it deserves. The
Morning Call, in an editorial. says: "By
the fourth section, our American Trans
continental roads are prohibited from
making rates that will enable shippers
by American routes to compete with
shippers by the Canadian route. In re.
quiring American roads to charge local
rates over their entire route, the Cana
dian Pacific is given great advantage.
1t is matter for regret that in this crisis
iu our affairs the Pacific coast has not a
in the Commission. The
Commission has suspended the fourth
clause until it has had time to study it
in all its bearings. 1t may conclude,
by and by, to revoke the suspension.
1t will certainly be urged to do so by
parties who are interested in excluding
California produce from Eastern mar.
kets. Already we hear that the sugar
reiineries of New York and Philadel-
phia desire to be heard against any re-
duction of transcontinenial freights on
California sugar. 1t is hardly likely
that party who asks the commission to
exclude our sugar from the market
which it now enjoys in order to make
that article deareI to the Missouri river
consumer for the benefit OF Eastern re.
finers will be listened to with patience.
But the excellence of doctrine of pro.
lection has been SO strenuously urged of
late that it would not be surprising
il it were argued in some quarters
that the East needs protection against
Western products, and it is possible
that for time the idea might commend
itself to the Commission. Herein lies
the danger of the adoption of purely
selfish policy by transcontinental lines.
If they utilize the present general revolt
against section four to fasten upon
traffic a schedule Of freight higher than
they could maintain before the law was
passed, they will certainly provoke
further aud perhaps more effective leg.
slation at the next session Of C-ngress.
OREGON APPEALS.
PORTLAND. Ore, April N.--The
Oregonian says: The demands from
California upon the Interstate Commis-
sion FIR relief are almost kysterical. 1t
is somewhat surprising that the Com.
after having acted promptly in
regard to the South, should be SO slow
10 hear an appeal from the Pacific
Slope. 1t is palmer new than ever that
The Pacific Slope ought to have heen
given one of the members of the Com
mission.
THE PACIFIC LINES.
WASHINGTON, April 2l--Mr. Charles
Tweed, of New York, addressed the
Interstate Commission on behalf of the
prayer of the Southern Pncific Railroad
Company, for the suspension of the
'ourth section of tho Interstate Com.
nerce law. The Northern Pacific Com.
pany will file like petition. This after
noon Mr.. A. I. Britton addressed the
Commission ON behalf of the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad.
Mr.. G. M. Wicker, representing the
Board of Trade and merchants Of Chi.
cago, telegraphed asking the Commits
sion to withhold its decision until an
argument can be submitted in favor of
the suspension of the long and short
haul clause on the Pacific Coast traffic,
provided that rates from the Great
Lakes and Mississippi Valley be made
less than from the At
lantic seaboard, as has been the case in
the past. kilograms signed by w. T.
President of the Manufacturers
Association of California, and CON-
mttee of San Francisco merchants have
been received, say ing that the memorials
mailed contained potent arguments
against the suspension of the fourth
section of the act. The Chamber of
Commerce Of San Francisco, telegraphed
favoring the exception, from the ope-
ration of Section 4, of special cases re-
quiring rapid transit.
Mr.. George Gray, attorney of the
North Pacific railroad, addressed the
He said that in an
examination of the fourth section
he had reached the conclusion that
should not take it upon them
selves to determine what constituted q
similar circumstance and condition, and
filed petition substantially similar in
purport to those presented by the South.
ern Pacific. Mr.. j. E. Searles, of New
York, repre- senting the sugar refiners
East, including st. Louis retiners, en-
tered protest against the granting of
the San Francisco reiners' petition. Mr..
Taft. representing the Clipper line of
Sutton & Co., said: "The railway com.
panies were now engaged in trying to
have the law suspended. If they knew
that the law would not be suspended,
they would be engaged in carrying out
its provisions in a way to make them
succe ssful. He asked that the law be
not suspended in theEgeneral way asked
for, but that the roads be made to fix
fair rates, and he would like the privi-
lege of examining witnesses to show
what would be fair rates. Further
hening upon the Pacific lines was then
postponed till tomorrow.
NEW OBJECTION.
Messrs. Justice Bateman and Co., wool
commission merchants of Philadelphia,
in letter to the Commission, express
the hope that section 4 will not be
suspended, as regards transcontinental
lines. The protests against the long and
short haul, they say, come from parties
who have heretofora enjoyed the great
est benefits from the cut.rates, and who
have had an unfair advantage. "Fol
instance" they continue, ''last year the
merchants Of San Francisco had rate
of fifty Gems rer 100 pounds on wool
while dealers and growers located sew
eral hundred miles further east had t.
raw SO. 90 to $4. SO per 100 pounds. Il